Buckle



Dec. 24, 1940. R. R.YROBERTS 2,226,262

BUCKLE Filed April 18, 1940 INVEN'iOR RayRRabens. B

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 24, 1940 uNrrEo STATES PATENT o Fic-e 2,226,262 BUCKLE Ray R. Roberts, Thomaston, Conn. Application April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,293

12 Claims.

justment of the shoulder strap and which will.

insure ,a substantially smooth and uninterrupted outer surface, havingno sharp protruding portions which might cause injury to the wearer.

Another object is to provide an improved overall buckle of the above nature having means to detachably secure it to a button in such a manner that the button will be covered by the strap and so that the latter will be kept'from flapping and thus prevented from catching in machinery,

etc.

Still another object is to provide a buckle of the above nature which is adapted to snub the .overall strap between the lower portion of the buckle and the button in such a manner that the button will be protected by said strap.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved buckle of the above nature which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efiicient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, there have been illustrated in the accompanying drawing several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a buckle embodying the features and principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan'view of the same, showing the buckle in operative association with a garment supporting strap with three cross-bars of the buckle visible from the front.

Fig; 3 is a sectional view taken on of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2,.showing an arrangement of the buckle and strap whereby only one cross-bar of thebuckle is visible from the front. f

Fig. 5 is a vertical view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. v i

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2 showing an .arangement wherein two cross-bars of the buckle are visible from the front.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view the line 3-3 the line 1- -1 all strap and button.

of a buckle similar to that shown inFig. I, pressed from thin sheet metal.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a garter upon which the improved buckle of this invention has been assembled. e

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a modifiedxformof buckle as it appears when attached to an over- Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts through- 10 out the several views, the preferred form of buckle includes a frame having a pair of. side bars I0 and II connected at their upper ends'by a top bar I2 and at their lower ends by abottom bar l3. In this instance, three intermediate 15 cross-bars I4,-l5' and I6 extend across the buckle from the side bar ill to the side bar H. The, lower intermediate cross-bar i6 also includes a pair of converging downwardly extending arms sufficient width adjacent the bar iii to permit a button head 20 to pass therethrough edgewise. The opening l9 has at its bottom end a narrow slot 2| which is of sufficient width to pass the l1 and it, which arms embrace an opening i9 of 20 reduced shank'24 of the button with a slight 25 frictional binding engagement. The arms I! and iii are preferably made resilient so that when the shank 24 of the button head 20 is pulled downwardly, the button will move with a snap action and will be thereafter held in a central 30 ized position between the ends 22 and 23 and the lower cross-bar l3.

Provision is also made of a pair of opposed short fingers 25 and 26 extending fromthe side bars I0 and II respectively. The fingers 25 and 135 26 are in transverse alinement and are located slightly below the lower ends 22 and 23, which are preferably spaced upwardly from the lower cross-bar 13 an amount substantially equal to, or slightly more than, one-half the diameter of the button head 20. The buckle above described ispreferably formed from relatively thick solid metal, and has its various side bars and crossbars substantially circular in cross-section. 'It will be understood, however, that it is within the scope of this invention to form said buckle of relatively thin sheet metal .as shown in Fig. 8 in which the various side and cross-bars are generally of inverted U-shape in cross-section.

The improved buckle is adapted to detachably connect a shoulder strap 21 to a button which is permanently attached to the body 28v of an .overall or other garment. The button head 20 is secured to the garment body 28, preferably M by riveting the outer base end 29 of its shank under the garment body portion 28.

The strap 2! will be threaded through the cross-bars of the buckle in any desired manner three possible ways being herein illustrated and hereinafter described. In any event, the button head 20 will then be inserted through the opening I9 between the arms I! and I8 behind the strap 21 and at substantially right angles thereto. The head will then be twisted parallel to said strap 21 into the position shown in Fig. 3, and by pulling downwardly on the garment the button shank will slip past the ends 22 .and 23 of the arms I! and I8 with a snap action and cause the lower edge of the button head to press the strap 21 against the lower cross-bar I3 with a snubbing action, as shown at 30, thereby securely holding said button from accidentally slipping out of operating position. By means of this construction it will be evident that the greater the force of the pull, the greater will be the snubbing action at this point 30, and the more tightly will the strap 21 be held against slipping.

In each of the three different methods of threading the strap 21 through the buckle mentioned above, the front of the button head 2!] is completely covered, so as to prevent the button from projecting forwardly beyond the buckle. Moreover, the end 3I of the strap 21 will be held closely adjacent the garment body 23 by means of the bottom bar I3 of the buckle, and thus prevented from flapping.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the strap 2! is shown as passing downwardly behind the top cross-bar I 2, over the cross-bar I 4, behind the cross-bar I5, over the cross-bar I6 and the arms I! and I8, behind the fingers 25 and 26, and behind the lower cross-bar I3. When the strap 21 is threaded through the buckle in this manner, three bars (I2, l5 and I3) will be visible on top of the strap 27, and it will thus be seen that since all of the cross-bars I2, I3, I4, I5 and I6 are disposed in the same plane, the strap 21, when so threaded, will tightly engage the respective bars, and when pulled, will securely bind itself to the buckle. The buckle may, however, be readily slipped along the strap :to adjust the effective length thereof by first loosening the strap 21.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a second method of threading the strap 21 through the buckle. In this instance, the strap 21 is passed behind the upper bar I2 and the cross-bar I4, around the cross-bar I4, behind and over the upper bar I2, then downwardly over all of the bars I2, I4, I5, I3, and the button head 29, and behind the lower bar I3 and the fingers 25 and 26. When the strap 2! is threaded through the buckle in the second manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5, only the bottom cross-bar I 3 will be visible from the front of the buckle.

In the third arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the strap 2! is first passed behind the bars I2, I4 and I5, around the bar I5, upwardly under and around the bar I4, in front of the bars I4, I5, and I6, and then behind the lower bar I3 and the fingers 2'5 and 26. When the strap 21 is so threaded through the buckle, two bars (I2 and I3) will be visible from the front.

Fig. 9 illustrates the use of the improved buckle of this invention in operative association with a garter strap 32, whereon it may be adjusted as above described. The buckle, in this instance,

is adapted to engage a button 33 to connect'the opposite ends of the garter strap 32 together. The strap 32 has a stocking-engaging member 34 depending therefrom, and by the use of the improved fiat thin buckle and button assembly, the garments overlying the garter will be prevented from being caught, torn, or worn by the button.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 10, the buckle'is provided with side bars 35 and 36, upper and lower cross-bars 31 and 38, and spaced-apart intermediate cross-bars 39 and 40. Spaced downwardly from the cross-bar 40 is a short bar 4| forming the top of an inverted U-shaped button receiving wedge loop 42, the lower ends 43 and 44 of which are secured to the side bars 35 and 36 by outstanding legs 45 and 46 respectively adjacent the lower bar 38, as shown. In this form, the strap 21 may be passed behind the upper bar 31, over the crossbar 39, behind the cross-bar 40, over the loop 42, and then behind the lower bar 38. It will be understood that as in the previously described form, the strap 21 is adapted to be snubbed or clamped between the bar 38 and the overhanging portion of the button head 20 by a similar snap action when the body 28 of the garment is pulled downwardly with respect to thestrap 21- the ends 43 and 44 serving to hold the button in centralized position.

While there have been described in this specification several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, What is claimed as new and for which it is desired to:

obtain Letters Patent, is:

1. In an overall buckle, a frame comprising a pair of spaced-apart side bars, an upper crossbar, a lower cross-bar, a plurality of spaced-apart intermediate "cross-bars extending between said side bars, the lowermost intermediate 'cr0ss-bar having a pair of depending converging resilient arms for engaging the shank of a button inserted above them with a snap action, the ends of said arms being spaced upwardly from said lower cross-bar an amount sufficient to prevent lateral movement of said button from centralized position.

2. In an overall buckle, a pair of spaced-apart side bars, an upper cross-bar, a lower cross-bar, a plurality of spaced-apart intermediate crossbars extending between said side bars, the lowermost intermediate cross-bar having a pair of downwardly converging resilient arms to permit the shank of a button to pass therethrough with a snap action, the ends of said arms being spaced upwardly from said lower cross-bar an amount sufiicient to prevent lateral displacement of said button from centralized position, and tape-holding fingers extending inwardly toward each other from said side bars between said lowermost intermediate cross-bar and said lower cross-bar.

3. In an overall buckle, a pair of spaced-apart side bars, an upper cross-bar, a lower cross-bar,

a plurality of spaced-apart intermediate crossbars extending between said side bars, the lowermost intermediate cross-bar having a pair of downwardly converging resilient arms to permit the shank of a button to pass therethrough with a snap action, the ends of said arms being spaced upwardly from said lower cross-bar an amount sufficient to prevent lateral displacement of said button from centralized position, and tape-holding fingers extending inwardly toward each other from said side bars between said lowermost intermediate cross-bar and said lower cross-bar.

4. A buckle constructed in accordance with the features of claim 2 and wherein the side bars, upper and lower cross-bars, intermediate crossbars, arms and fingers are all disposed in the same plane.

5. In an overall buckle, a pair of spaced-apart side bars, an upper cross-bar, a lower cross-bar, a plurality of spaced-apart intermediate crossbars extending between said side bars, the lowermost intermediate cross-bar having a pair of downwardly converging resilient arms to permit the shank of a button to pass therethrough with a snap action, the ends of said arms being spaced upwardly from said lower cross-bar an amount suflicient to prevent button from centralized position.

6. In a buckle for detachably connecting a strap to a button secured to a garment, a frame having a bottom cross-bar, a pair of downwardly converging resilient arms secured to said frame adjacent said bottom cross-bar, said arms being spaced apart sufficiently to permit the shank of the button to pass between and outwardly spread them with a snap action and being located sufficiently close to said bottom cross-bar to engage and centralize said button and prevent lateral displacement thereof when snubbed against a strap threaded through said buckle and covering said button.

'7. In a buckle, a frame for receiving a strap, a pair of downwardly converging resilient arms secured to said frame and located at the center of said buckle adjacent the lower edge of said frame, said arms being spaced apart sufiiciently to permit a button shank to engage and spread both of them with a snap action, and said arms being located sufiiciently close to said lower edge to engage and hold said button in centralized position.

8. In a buckle, a frame for receiving a strap, a pair of downwardly converging resilient arms secured to said frame and located at the center of said buckle, said arms being spaced apart sufficiently to permit a button shank to engage and pass centrally between them with a snap action,

lateral displacement of said said arms serving to engage and hold said button in centralized operating position.

9. In a buckle, a frame for receiving a strap, a pair of downwardly converging resilient arms secured to said frame and located at the center of said buckle, said arms being spaced apart sufficiently to permit a button shank to engage and pass between them with a snap action, said arms serving to engage and hold said button in centralized operating position, said buckle being formed of thin sheet metal, the frame and arms of which are of rigid semi-circular cross-section.

10. In a buckle, an open frame for receiving a strap for connecting said strap to a button secured to a garment, said frame having a bottom cross-bar, a pair of resilient arms extending inwardly from the opposite sides of said frame, said arms being spaced apart sufficiently to permit the shank of said button to engage and pass between them with a snap action, and being located sufliciently close to said bottom cross-bar to centralize said button shank and prevent lateral displacement thereof when said strap is threaded through said buckle.

11. In a buckle, an open frame for receiving a strap for connecting said strap to a button secured to a garment, said frame having a bottom cross-bar, a pair of resilient arms extending inwardly from the opposite sides of said frame, said arms being spaced apart sufficiently to permit the shank of said button to pass between them with a snap action, said strap being passed through the opening in said frame and being located in front of said button and said side arms and covering the head of said-button, whereby said strap will be tightly held and snubbed between said button head and said lower cross-bar.

12. In a, buckle, an open frame for receiving a strap for connecting said strap to a button secured to a garment, said frame having a bottom cross-bar and a pair of inwardly extending arms to centralize the shank of said button when the latter is passed downwardly between them, said strap being passed through the opening in said frame and being located in front of said button and said side arms and covering the head of said button, whereby said strap will be tightly held and snubbed between said button head and said lower cross-bar.

RAY R. ROBERTS. 

